Abstract: A slicing machines includes a control system having a camera (6) which views a cut face (5) of a product being sliced. Image data from the camera (6) is processed to determined a parameter characteristic of the cut face (5). The step of processing the image data includes classifying the image data by comparison with an intensity threshold which is varied automatically in accordance with the populations of data in the different classes. A control signal is generated to control the operation of the slicing machine in accordance with the determined parameter.In a preferred example, the determined parameter depends on the linear density of the cut face and the control signal varies the thickness of the slices in order to produce a slice having a desired weight.

Abstract: A slicing machine for cutting slices from a product includes a camera (6) which views a cut face (5) of the product. A boundary recognition processor (14) processes image signals from the camera (6) to determine a boundary of the cut face (5). A parameter characteristic of the cut face (5) is calculated from image data corresponding to regions of the cut face within the determined boundary. A control signal generating circuit generates a control signal to control the operation of the slicer in accordance with the determined parameter.In a preferred example, the boundary is analysed to determine the location of any secondary regions (10) of the cut face (5) and the characteristic parameter is calculated from image data corresponding to regions of the cut face other than the secondary regions.

Abstract: A slicing machine includes a rotatable blade (1) and a feeding device (4, 5) for feeding blocks of product (46) towards the blade (1). The feeding device comprises opposed driven endless track assemblies (4, 5) having their adjacent faces arranged to be driven in the same direction. One of the opposed track assemblies (4) is formed by a number of separate side-by-side endless tracks (6, 7, 8, 9) which are pivotally connected to a common support (20). The number of separate tracks (6, 7, 8, 9) have a ganged drive and pneumatic rams (22) which, in use, urge the downstream ends of the tracks independently towards the block of product (46) so that the separate tracks pivot independently and hold a block of product (46) the thickness of which is not uniform in the transverse direction. The support (20) supports the upstream ends of the endless tracks (6, 7, 8, 9) and is slideably mounted for movement in a direction parallel to the plane of the blade (1).

Abstract: A slicing machine comprises a blade 1, feeding mechanism 8, 9, 11, 12 to feed a product 7, typically a food product, towards the blade 1, and a conveyor system 14 downstream of the blade 1 to form groups of slices. The machine also includes a programmed computer 18 to control the feed rate of the feeding mechanism 8, 9, 11, 12 and control the conveyor system 14 to form groups of slices 13. The programmed computer 18 is programmed to calculate the optimum number of slices and thickness of the slices forming each group in dependence upon physical parameters of the product 7 and to control the feed rate of the feeding mechanism 8, 9, 11, 12 and the conveyor system 14 to form the groups so that the slices in each group are of optimum thickness and there are the optimum number of slices in each group.

Abstract: A slicing machine for slicing a product, comprising a blade 1 and a feeding mechanism 8, 9, 11, 12, to feed the product towards the blade 1 also includes a programmed computer 18 to control the feed rate of the feeding mechanism 8, 9, 11, 12 and programmed with a function corresponding to the typical weight distribution of at least one type of product. The computer 18 is programmed to respond to the input of information representing the weight and length of a particular product to modify the typical weight distribution function in accordance with the input values to provide an anticipated weight distribution for that particular product. The computer is also programmed to control the operation of the feeding mechanism 8, 9, 11, 12, so that the product is fed towards the blade 1 at a rate which varies with the anticipated weight distribution.

Abstract: A slicing machine including a rotating blade 1 and a feeding head 8 to feed a block of food product towards the blade includes a position detector 38 to detect when the feeding head 8 is a predetermined distance away from the end of its stroke, an encoder 32 associated with the drive 12 of the feeding head 8 to monitor movement of the feeding head 8 over the predetermined distance from the position detector 38 to the end of its stroke, and a cam and proximity switch 34,35 to monitor the movement of the blade 1 of the slicer. The machine also includes a computer 18 to monitor the position of the feeding head 8 as it moves towards the end of its stroke to establish when there is insufficient of the stroke of the feeding head 8 remaining to allow another whole slice of product to be cut before the feeding head 8 reaches the end of its stroke and to return the feeding head 8 to its starting position after completing the slicing of the last whole slice.

Abstract: A slicing machine for slicing food products, particularly meat and other meat products 7 comprises a rotating blade 1 which either has a spiral cutting edge or a circular cutting edge and is mounted for planetary motion, and a pushing mechanism 8, 9, 11, 12 to feed the product towards the blade 1 so that upon each rotation or gyration of the blade a slice is cut from the face of the product 7. The slicing machine also includes a cam and proximity switch 34, 35 for monitoring the position of the blade 1 and outputting a signal when the blade is in a predetermined position, an event counter 19 for establishing when the blade 1 is cutting the slice to form the last slice in a group of slices and outputting a signal indicating this condition, a manually operated interrupt switch 27, and a computer 18 to interrupt the feed of the product to be sliced towards the blade 1 of the slicer.